thank you dear friend

Hello dear friend,

We may have never met.  I may not know your name or may have never seen your face.  But there you are on the other side of the screen and for that I am grateful.  Here I am in NJ cozied up in my little apartment and through this wondrous screen we have the opportunity to connect.  You may be far away but here we are together in this space.  

Thank you for being here.  For showing up and reading my words.  Thank you for the support you give, the love you share, and for your wide open heart that brings so much light to my world.  I am grateful for you dear reader.

When I began my blogging journey I had no idea what would unfold.  All I knew is that I was drawn to this medium and excited to explore it.  In May I will have been blogging for ten years, yes ten years.  Wow!  Some of you have been with me from the start and for that I am beyond grateful and in complete awe.  

My wish for the future is to connect more deeply with you.  To hear your stories, write brave words alongside you, and explore the ways we can make this ordinary life extraordinary.  I want to see your smiling face in person and give you a great big hug.  

My hope is that I inspire you to explore your own story and live with your heart wide open.  I hope my words open you up and make you see that you are not alone.  Each of us are traveling our own paths but as human beings we are connected on our journeys.    

I want you to know that who you are and what you do matters.  The world needs YOU, yes YOU exactly as you are.  So lift your head up to the sky and say a great big yes to living boldly.  

Thank you for YOU.  Thank you for being here.  Thank you for all the love and light you shine in this world. I am so grateful our paths have crossed and look forward to digger deeper with you.   

all my love
Jennifer

Want to give a listen to this letter . . . click play above to hear me read it to you.  

This letter was inspired by Universal Letter Writing Week {January 8 - 14}.  Each day this week I am writing one letter.  The oneI wrote yesterday was sealed in an envelope and mailed off.  What about you?  Who could you write a thank you letter to today?  

letters across the miles

Dear Kristine

,

I am not sure where to begin.  It was nice to receive your letter, but my heart is so heavy for the passing of your brother.  I could not even imagine what you and your family are going through.  Your life forever changed.  

Know that you are in my thoughts and I have been sending you so much love.  The road ahead will feel as if you are traveling all up hill.  You may feel lost and unsure where to turn.  Know that there are people out there, like me, who will sit right beside you.  Ready to hold your hand, listen to your stories, or just sit there with you in silence.  

It is in moments like this that we must lean on others, even when it feels difficult to do so.  Friends have a way of lifting us back up, holding us gently, and letting us just be.  Lean in deeply and know that you are loved and seen, even as you struggle through your pain and loss.    

There is nothing in this world like the bond that forms between family.  It is a love that never falters.  There will be disagreements. Moments where you do not get along.  But when it comes down to it you will always be there for one another.  

The love you have for your brother will live on in your heart and be expressed every day when you think of him.  He will always be with you.  Looking down, cheering you on, and watching you grow.  

Sending you so much love as you navigate through this and know that I am here for you.  

xo

Jennifer

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letters across the miles

Dear Kristine,

Have you ever stood in a room of people and felt so incredibly alone?  Isolated even amongst the conversation.  Sad, unsure of who you really are?

As an introvert I struggle with casual conversation.  I want to get to the heart of it.  Pull out the meat and guts and examine them.  I want to know what is really beneath the surface.  Dig into the layers that so many of us keep hidden.

But that is not an easy thing to do upon first meeting someone.  It is hard for me to find the quiet space to have the conversation.  It takes time to develop the trust that is required for deep heart examination.

Sometimes the environment gets the best of me and swallows me whole.  Sinking deep into that invisible feeling.

Other times I rise above.  Standing firmly in who I am.  Seeking out someone to connect with, or removing myself from the situation all together.

It is a dance I have not yet mastered.  Still stepping on toes, unsure of when to take the lead and when to follow.

Have you ever felt this way?

xoxo

Jennifer

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letters across the miles

Dear Kristine,

The hot days of summer have definitely shown it's face around NJ these past couple of weeks.  Bright sunshine, high humidity, and incredible sporadic thunderstorms.  Everything the summer is to be.  I am enjoying every minute of it.

I love hearing that you have a few things up your sleeve and have been soaking in your summer days as well.  That is what life is all about - - - enjoying the moments, scheming up ideas, and relaxing deep into the flow and movement that engulfs us.

I have been working diligently on my online class offering.  I love how it is coming together so organically.  The pieces fitting together and opening up parts of me that I didn't realize were still closed off.

One of the topics that came up as I was brainstorming ideas and putting thoughts down on paper for the class was - - - the opportunities we didn't take.  The moments we were to afraid to make that daring decision and instead stuck with the comfortable and familiar.  Those untaken chances haunt us.  Filling us with wonder regarding what could have been.

What is devastating is that we will never know what could have happened had we made a different decision, took the risk, spread our wings and trusted that we could fly.  That thought is sitting deeply with me these past few days.  And I am allowing it space to wash over me and breathe deeply into my soul.

Are there any chances that you didn't take that you wish you did?  Moments in time when you could have risked it all but when for the safe path instead?

Sending you so much love this letters across the miles tuesday.  I hope you are doing well and that the sun is shining brightly on your world.

xo

Jennifer

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letters across the miles

Dear Kristine

,

Happy Tuesday and almost Fourth of July!  I cannot believe that the fourth is already upon us.  Summertime always seems to fly by in a blink of an eye.  Do you have any plans for the Holiday weekend?  I absolutly love fireworks.  I am not sure where we will be seeing them, but am looking forward to the brillant colors in the sky. 

I love that you have been adding to your photography portfolio since you started working in Providence.  It is wonder that you are embracing your surroundings and really soaking them up.  All to often we run from one thing to the next, never really taking the time appreciate it.  But here you are, soaking it all in.  Fantastic! 

I took a big leap and opened the doors to my

Etsy shop

for the first time.  I can't belive I did but am so proud of myself for just doing it.  My writing, blog, photography, and work has all evolved so organically.  I love that.  Opening the Etsy shop felt like the next right step to take.  I am not sure where it will lead but am excited to see the path it opens me up to. 

When I was in high school I ran Cross Country and track, running the mile, half mile, and two mile.  Belthoff's do not have much speed so we have to stick to the distance events.  You should see my brothers run to first base when they play softball.   It is like they are running in slow motion. 

What I like about running is that it pushes my mind.  I know my body can make it up the hill, but it is my mind that is the challenge.  All it ever says to me is: "I want to stop, I want to stop."  But I must keep my legs moving and make it to the top.  It feels so good when I push through. 

I enjoy riding my bicycle more.  When I am on my bike my mind never even thinks the thought of stopping.  There is to much territory to explore.  To many new sites to see.  I want to peddle as far as I have time for.

I love excercising.  Moving my body, stretching my muscles, climbing higher than I thought I could go.  Excercise is such an amazing healer for the mind, body, and spirit.  I try to excercise five days a week but do not always get the chance. When I don't I feel it in me.  I become a bit sluggish, irritable, and craving the movment.  That is when I pick myself up and go for a walk.  Even a walk around the block refreshes me. 

I hope you have been enjoying your summer.  Please tell me what adventures you have been up to, what feeds your soul, and where you want to go to next. 

Sending lots of love your way from NJ!

xo

Jennifer

{10}

letters across the miles

Dear Kristine,

Oh how the time has flown since our last letter to one another.  I apologize for not writing to you last week.  I was off in the land of the bean and I had a letter in the queue to go, but it never published.  Such is technology some times.

This time of year is filling my soul with sunshine and happiness.  I have been riding my bicycle and have gotten back into running.  I am scheduled to run a 5k in July and I want to be ready for it.

I have been thinking a lot about the choices we make and how even one small choice can change our lives forever.  We never know the outcome of what we choose until we choose it.  We have to trust our heart, take a leap, and see where the path opens up to.  People ebb and flow into our lives constantly and others stick around for a long while.  We never know upon meeting someone if the moments we have together will be fleeting or last a long long time.

Because of this, I am learning each day to appreciate the moments.  To soak in the sunshine, the flower blooming, the quick encounter at the grocery store when the gentleman let me go ahead of him.  It is the small things that make a big difference and we never know when those small things will happen.

There are so many different ways we can touch others lives.  Have you ever heard of the

Warrior Canine Connection

 (WCC)?  They are a Non-Profit Organization from Maryland that raises and trains Golden and Labrador retriever puppies that will be placed with disabled Veteran's as Mobility Service Dogs.  Before the dogs go to a disabled Veteran WCC works with Soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who train the puppies.

My Aunt Alice, who is a total dog lover introduced me to the organization.  They have a live puppy came that you can watch online and see the nine new puppies that were just born about two weeks ago.  I warn though watching them can become addictive because they are so darn cute.  Even for me who isn't an animal lover checks in on the cam to see how big they have grown.

The organization has been entered into the Veterans Charity Challenge where they could win up to $35,000 to put towards raising and training the dogs.  I have been to WCC and was amazed.  They are a top notch organization doing everything they can from their hearts to help these wounded Veterans and Soldiers with PSTD.  These men and women have given up so much for our country and they need our help.

If you know anyone that would be interested in donating they can head on over to

HERE

to make a donation.  No amount is to small because as I have learned through this blogging community when we come together in our own small ways we can make big things happen.  The contest is running until July 3rd and all the money that is raised goes to WCC, so it is a win win.

I love the power of the internet and how we are able to help one another so easily.  It is such a beautiful and strong thing.

I hope you are doing well in your part of the world and that the summer has been treating you kindly.  What have you been up to?

Sending you so much love and looking forward to hearing back from you.

xo

Jennifer

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